By Thanasis Photiou
In her youth, she was worshipped. A beauty icon. A sex symbol. The ultimate fantasy. Relentlessly pursued by fans and paparazzi alike.
In one of the rare interviews she gave in Greece, this legendary woman didn’t just shatter the glamorous image she had already abandoned before turning 40. She revealed something more, a vulnerable, human side. One that, like all of us, wrestled with personal demons.
You’re one of the few legendary women who has allowed time to leave its marks on your face. That’s remarkable. Most people fear aging, women especially.
“Time, that great sculptor,” as Marguerite Yourcenar said. I believe we shouldn’t fight time or nature. We must accept aging and dying. Our faces reflect our souls, and there’s no facelift for the soul.
So time isn’t your enemy?
I’ve long moved past such trivialities. Time is neither friend nor foe. It just exists and governs our earthly passage. Of course, I try not to look ugly, to appear younger than I am. I still have beautiful hair, naturally dark blond and waist-length. I’m lucky my face is largely intact: a small nose, eyes that still see well. I wear reading glasses, but I accept myself.
You said we should accept death. But some say the more vividly you live, the more you fear it. Do you agree?
Death is terrifying, yet desired by those who feel life as unbearable pain. I confront it for the sake of my animals. Most of the time, I lose. But for myself? I don’t care at all.
Does the thought of death influence your daily life?
Absolutely. If people thought more often about their own death, they might behave differently in life. For me, death is present every day. I watch it, fight it, and endure it. That’s why I always wear black, year-round. I mourn the loved ones I’ve lost, human and animal alike.
In your autobiography, you wrote, “I was very happy, very rich, very beautiful, very famous, and very unhappy.” The “unhappy” part stands out. It seems almost contradictory.
And yet it’s true. My life held more trials, pain, disappointment, and betrayal than joy. But those hardships shaped the woman I am today.
How did you endure so much pain?
I can tolerate immense physical pain and control it. Emotional pain, however, breaks me. I had breast cancer, surgery, radiotherapy, all the consequences. Today, I manage a dislocated hip I’ve lived with for nine years. It’s painful, but I remind myself it’s nothing compared to the suffering animals endure. I try not to complain.
You frequently speak about animals. Your life has been devoted to their protection.
In France we say, “The more I know humans, the more I love my dog.” That sums up my feelings perfectly.
When did this love begin?
I was born loving animals. What changed my life was witnessing human cruelty. One day, in June 1973, during the filming of Colinot Trousse Chemise, an extra mentioned she would have to slaughter a goat for her son’s Holy Communion. I couldn’t let it happen. I bought the little goat, took it to my hotel, and spent the night with it and my dog Pichnou. That moment decided everything: I would dedicate my fame, wealth, and energy to defending animals. I left cinema that day. I was 38.
How did you imagine your life would unfold?
My life is mostly behind me. The future is short. I long ago abandoned dreams, focusing instead on surviving nightmares. I’m proud of my foundation, created alone by selling almost everything I owned, including my famous Saint-Tropez home, La Madrague. I kept only the essentials. Today, the foundation is recognized widely, including by the French government. It wasn’t luck or dreams that achieved this, just sheer determination and persistence. Life doesn’t give you anything; you have to fight for it.
Can we reflect on the key moments that defined you?
I live in the present. That’s the only true moment, and it quickly becomes the past. My past is a mosaic of thousands of events, mostly painful, scattered with brief flashes of joy, fleeting, dazzling, and sometimes burning like fireworks.
Do you remember everything?
I have an elephant’s memory. Unfortunately, it doesn’t let me forget even the smallest details. I remember the good and the bad, which makes me vulnerable. Contrary to popular belief, I never developed thick skin.
People say you’re driven by anger.
Not anger...rebellion. I write honestly about what provokes me in society. I risk being hated, boycotted, or criticized because I defy political correctness. But at my age, I feel entitled to speak my truth. The media demonized me, yet thousands of fellow French citizens supported me. I regret nothing.
Aren’t you concerned about your legacy?
The Bardot myth has always provoked scandal. A little more, a little less, it doesn’t matter. What matters is feeling at peace with myself.
How do you remember your film career and the paparazzi frenzy?
It was suffocating. Total loss of freedom. Cameras everywhere, day and night. I even had to build a delivery room in my home for my son’s birth. I couldn’t shop, walk my dog, or meet friends without it becoming a headline. Once my father came to my door with a rose, the paper wrote, “Now she likes old men too.”
Are you happy in love now?
Thank God. I have a husband and friend who rescued me from crushing loneliness. He loves animals as much as I do and keeps me grounded.
Who did you love most?
My maternal grandfather, Léon Moucel...“Boum.” My parents, whom I miss deeply. My sister, Mijanou. And the rare humans who embody true kindness.
You once admitted you never accepted motherhood.
I wasn’t ready. I was lost and overwhelmed. That mistake made both my son and me unhappy. And I said it.
Your relationship with your son today?
None. That’s his choice. Sadly.
The most beautiful thing you’ve ever heard?
“I love you.”
If your life were a landscape?
A vast meadow. Forests. Wildflowers. A river. Gentle hills. Stone benches with moss. A hundred-year-old chestnut tree. Little houses like in a fairytale. Free, happy animals. Yet, at the horizon, barbed wire...boundaries that cannot be crossed without consequence. A small oasis of peace, but still constrained by life’s harsh laws.
And how do you want to be remembered?
With affection and tenderness.
*Read the original Greek version here.
